This invention relates to an electrical connector, an electrical connector unit, and an electric vehicle charger using the electrical connector.
In a fitting structure between a plug connector and a receptacle connector of an electrical connector unit, there may be provided locking portions that serve to prevent disengagement between the connectors when the connectors have reached a predetermined fitting position.
This structure may be provided with a structure that prevents electrical conduction between the connectors in an incomplete or halfway fitting state where the locking portions are not completely locked together.
This is because, for example, in an electrical connector unit for electric vehicle charging that relays the power of high voltage and current, if electrical conduction, i.e. charging, is accidentally started in the halfway fitting state, a leak or the like may occur, which is very dangerous.
As the structure that prevents electrical conduction between the connectors in the halfway fitting state, there is a structure described in JP-A-H09-161898 (Patent Document 1) or JP-A-2010-123521 (Patent Document 2).
Specifically, in this structure, a plug connector comprises a microswitch and a seesaw-type locking lever, wherein the locking lever has a locking portion for fitting at one end, a pushing portion, at the other end, adapted to be brought into contact with the microswitch, and a rotation shaft between the locking portion and the pushing portion.
In the case of the above-mentioned structure, in the halfway fitting state, the locking portion rides on a front slope of a locking projection of a mating connector (receptacle connector) and, therefore, the locking lever is rotated in a direction of pushing the microswitch so that the pushing portion pushes a spring piece of the microswitch, thereby interrupting electrical conduction.